Norwegian researchers are reporting that the commonly used supplement glucosamine offers little or no relief for people who suffer from chronic back pain that is caused by osteoarthritis (OA). For the study, investigators gave 250 patients with chronic back pain and degenerative lumbar OA either 1,500 mg of glucosamine or a placebo daily. The researchers found that after one year, there was little statistical difference between the two groups in terms of severity of pain or quality of life.